Indian Oil manager slain during pump takeover sparks safety protests

Mahesh Shelke, who served as a retail sales manager for Indian Oil, was allegedly murdered by people associated with a dealer while the dealer’s pump in Hingoli district was being taken over after months of inactivity despite company directives to keep it operational. The killing has unsettled employees, prompting the Indian Oil Officers’ Association to protest and seek enhanced institutional safeguards for officers on duty.

In a letter to the Indian Oil chairman, the association highlighted a disturbing trend of intimidation, threats and physical assaults on officers by transporters, vendors, dealers, agents and local pressure groups over recent years. It urged Indian Oil to assume responsibility for filing FIRs arising from such incidents rather than leaving officers to pursue legal action alone. The association also demanded a clear standard operating procedure to address threats, intimidation and assaults on its members. Indian Oil, the nation’s largest fuel retailer with roughly 43,000 petrol pumps, typically operates its stations through dealers who must follow specific operational guidelines.